ABSTRACT

This study sought to design a new festival brand targeting Ghanaians and Africans in the

diaspora. The objectives of the study were to; (a) understand creative arts branding and its

relevance to African festivals, (b) to analyze industry reports, market trends, and audience

insights to develop a new festival brand, and (c) to create a unique and memorable festival

brand that appeals to the target audience. It has been established that, the creative expressions

of African people are a complex blend of many media, each of which offers a unique

perspective and which together communicates everything from the mundane to the sublime.

The collections of the Library of Congress are particularly strong in information about art,

handicrafts, music, dance, film, oral and written literatures, and other aspects of the

humanities that enrich life in each African community and which have influenced societies

wherever peoples of African descent have settled. Festivals which is subject to the

entertainment industry is increasingly attracting the interest of corporate sponsors, including

telecoms and alcohol brands who are keen to market their products and services to a younger

audience. The global music festivals and event market size was valued at $152.2 billion in

2021 and is projected to reach $481.4 billion by 2031, growing at a Compound Annual

Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.7% from 2022 to 2031 (HSBC, 2023). “GhanAfriq Music &

ArtsFestival” is a new festival brand and a new multi-disciplined mobile event which will

highlight young and emerging talent of African descent through visual arts, music,

technology, wellness activations while showcasing the diverse culture and history of the Afro

community.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................................i
INDUSTRY REPORTS AND MARKET TRENDS RELATED TO AFRICAN FESTIVALS............1
CREATIVE ARTS BRANDING AND ITS EFFECTS ON AFRICAN FESTIVALS..........................4
THE NEW FESTIVAL BRAND CONCEPT........................................................................................5
Festival Name:......................................................................................................................................6
Theme: .................................................................................................................................................6
Vision....................................................................................................................................................6
Mission..................................................................................................................................................6
Values....................................................................................................................................................6
Target Audience....................................................................................................................................6
Logo:.....................................................................................................................................................6
Tagline:.................................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................10

ii
 INTRODUCTION

According to Getz (1991), creative industries are becoming more and more relevant for the

economies of both developed and developing countries. Africa has a comparative advantage

on copyright where enormous potential of folklore and the creativity of African people need

to be fully exploited for socio-economic development and socio-cultural development of a

country. The festivals attract domestic and International tourism as they promote cultural

identity and heritage of the people. During these particular events a lot of activities that create

employment and contribute to the Country’s GDP are experienced (Prentice & Andersen,

2013).

That notwithstanding, the activities of the creative arts industry in the design and branding of

festivals in Africa cannot be overlooked. Popular mention is the “African Diaspora Festival”,

which was announced in 2017. This wonderful event was held in Milton Keynes - England to

celebrate African cultural diversity and promote community cohesion. Simply, the event was

based on celebrating African culture, with three main objectives: (a) Creating pride in youths

for their cultural heritage, (b) Educating others on African culture, (c) Promoting the African

Diaspora Foundation’s amazing charity work, and of course – having fun.

INDUSTRY REPORTS AND MARKET TRENDS RELATED TO AFRICAN

FESTIVALS

A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some

characteristic aspects of that community and its religion or tradition which often serve to

fulfill specific communal purposes, especially with regard to commemoration or thanksgiving

(Sally, 2008). The celebrations offer a sense of belonging to religious, social, or geographical

groups, contributing to group cohesiveness. Festivals also provide entertainment, which was

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particularly for local communities before the advent of mass produced entertainment.

Festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics also seek to inform community members of

their traditions, the involvement of elders sharing stories and experience provide a means for

unity among families (Ogbenika, 2020).

According to Ejikemeuwa (2022), “Africa is the festival continent”. Throughout the whole

continent, colourful and vibrant festivals range through musical, religious, cultural and

harvest to name just a few (Ogbenika, 2020).

With a growing youth population with increasing spending power and a thirst for

entertainment, music incorporated into festivals could play a much bigger role in the

continent’s cultural scene. For instance, each year, at the MTN Bushfire Festival, a multi-

generational crowd of 20,000 people “bring their fire” to the scenic Malkerns Valley of

Eswatini – South Africa, to experience an eclectic pan-African and international line-up of

live music, theatre, poetry, film, dance, and visual arts (Wilks, 2013). The festival model is

being replicated across the continent. South Africa is home to internationally known

celebrations such as the National Arts Festival and the Cape Town Jazz festival which attract

thousands of enthusiasts every year.

In Ghana, the Pan African Historical Festival (PANAFEST) is the most celebrated Pan

African Festival in the world. Inspired back in 1992, by the late great Pan Africanist Efua

Sutherland, PANAFEST has become a landmark festival in Ghana which gives Africans on

the Continent and in the Diaspora a platform to address the most traumatic interruption that

ever occurred in the natural evolution of African societies which among other traumas

profoundly eroded the self-confidence and freedom for self-determination of a whole people

(Akyeampong, 2019).

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In East and West Africa, festivals in the economic giants of Kenya and Nigeria cater for a

rising middle class who are prepared to spend an increasing percentage of their disposable

income on events (Prentice & Andersen, 2013).

Meanwhile, North African countries such as Morocco and Tunisia are being marketed as key

music destinations, attracting wealthy European tourists and government patronage. And

outside the obvious locations, successful flagship events take place in the likes of Zimbabwe,

Eswatini and Zanzibar. “The African continent hosts hundreds of annual festivals and cultural

celebrations, though only a small minority target international audiences,” says Yusuf

Mahmoud, Sauti za Busara festival director and chair of Music in Africa Foundation (Enuka,

2019).

The sector is increasingly attracting the interest of corporate sponsors, including telecoms and

alcohol brands who are keen to market their products and services to a younger audience. For

instance, the MTN Bushfire Festival, which has been ongoing for 15 years in Eswatini, is

headlined by the South African telco brand but includes partnerships with up to 70 local and

international sponsors. As Africa emerges from the pandemic and customers return to mass

events, organisers say that sponsors are flocking back to the sector. “After two years, there

was a tremendous appetite from all stakeholders to come back. We managed to sell strong

brands and we have repeat sponsors buying,” says Jiggs Thorne, director of the festival (Adu-

Ampong, 2022).

The global music festivals and event market size was valued at $152.2 billion in 2021 and is

projected to reach $481.4 billion by 2031, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate

(CAGR) of 9.7% from 2022 to 2031 (HSBC, 2023).

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 negatively impacted the music festivals

and event industry. Almost all the music events and festivals were either canceled or
3
postponed for indefinite time period. The rapid spread of the COVID disease resulted in

travelling restrictions and lockdown that severely hampered the revenues of the global music

festivals and event market (HSBC, 2023).

According to the music festivals and event market analysis, the market is segmented based on

revenue source, genre, type, age group, gender, and region. The market is divided into tickets,

sponsorships, and others by revenue source. Depending on the genre, it is divided into rock,

pop, EDM, and others. Based on type, it is segregated into music festivals, concerts, shows,

and others. Depending on the age group, the market is segmented below 20 years, 21 to 40

years, and above 40 years. Based on gender, it is segregated into male and female. Region-

wise, it is analysed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and LAMEA

(HSBC, 2023).

CREATIVE ARTS BRANDING AND ITS EFFECTS ON AFRICAN FESTIVALS

Walter Landor, one of the greats of the advertising industry, said “simply put, a brand is a

promise. By identifying and authenticating a product or service it delivers a pledge of

satisfaction and quality” (Nelson, 2008). Bates (2013) believes that the best definition is that

a ‘brand is a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer’. This definition clearly

distinguishes that a brand is very different from a product or service. A brand is intangible

and exists in the mind of the consumer (Bates, 2013).

The creative expressions of African people are a complex blend of many media, each of

which offers a unique perspective and which together communicates everything from the

mundane to the sublime. The collections of the Library of Congress are particularly strong in

information about art, handicrafts, music, dance, film, oral and written literatures, and other

aspects of the humanities that enrich life in each African community and which have

influenced societies wherever peoples of African descent have settled (Enuka, 2019). Social
4
media has turned the ways in which the brand interacts with the customer on its head. With

close to 2 billion internet users worldwide, 126 million blogs, 12 billion videos viewed per

month in the US alone, (Thomas, 2021), 2 billion tweets on Twitter per month and 500

million people on Facebook (Crompton, & McKay, 2020), the face of the consumer may

remain essentially the same but the way in which they interact with brands has changed

dramatically.

THE NEW FESTIVAL BRAND CONCEPT

“GhanAfriq Music & Arts Festival” is a new multi-disciplined mobile event which will

highlight young and emerging talent of African descent through visual arts, music,

technology, wellness activations while showcasing the diverse culture and history of the Afro

community. The idea behind this festival concept is based on nationalist visions of an ideal

Africa, the fiction of W. E. B. Du Bois, and Sun Ra’s cosmic mythology of alien abduction

“to portray a future beyond white supremacy, a new black citizen who would inhabit a

world that soars above all existing notions of the possible.” The festival will feature black

utopian artists who through art and paint will project to the world black history and culture.

GhanAfriq Music & Arts Festival is seeking to travel annually to Accra – Ghana and in

partnership with the Ministry of Tourism wishes to activate a once in a lifetime experience

attracting a global audience. The festival will be a 3-days event set to take place on 21st – 24th

December each year, prior to the Christmas festivities. The vision for the GhanAfriq Music &

Arts Festival is a three-day tech and history reality inspired festival that will explore where

technology and design intersects with a focus on the arts, Ghanaian history, African culture,

music, health, technology and political representation. Event curators, honoured guests and

spectators alike will be probed to ask the question “what does a black Utopia look and feel

like”? The event will attempt to answer this question.

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Festival Name: “GhanAfriq Music & Arts Festival”

Theme: Projecting black history and culture through tech, art and paint.

Vision
To explore Ghanaian history and culture though art, technology and design with a focus on
the arts, Ghanaian history, African culture, music, health, technology and political
representation.

Mission
 To celebrate Ghanaian and African descent through Art, Technology and Design
 To showcase black freedom and a future beyond white supremacy

Values
 Togetherness
 Promote African culture
 Strengthen relationships
 Educate and enlighten the youth about their culture
 Encourage love and sharing among another

Target Audience
The festival targets young artists who can portray the history of Ghana and Africa through
technology, paintings and creative art works.

Logo:

Email: GhanAfriqmusicandartsfest.gh@gmail.com

Tagline: #Unite and celebrate!

Instagram: “GhanAfriqfest” WhatsApp: “+233541824809”

Twitter: @GhanAfriq_musiq&arts_Festival Snapchat: GhanAfriq_fest

Facebook: “GhanAfriq Music&ArtsFestival”

YouTube: “GhanAfriq Music&ArtsFestival”

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 FESTIVAL THEMES AND ACTIVITIES

Day 1

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, and while it is true that there is no place like home for

the holidays, Ghana allows you to see how much Christmas is cherished there in a special

way. One of the most memorable vacations of a lifetime will be possible on this trip. You

will be greeted at the airport, guided through customs and immigration, and then driven in a

private A/C car to your accommodation in Accra. Arrive at your hotel, unwind, and get ready

for a fantastic evening of delectable food and relaxing music. Place of stay: Ellisa Hospitality

& Spa and Labadi Beach Hotel.

Day 2

Welcome to the thriving metropolis of Accra, which combines both contemporary

architecture and colonial-era buildings. The 120-year-old city provides a distinctive

collection of historical sites, such as the neighborhoods of Jamestown, New Town, and Ga

Mashie. The following visits are scheduled during the day: Drive through Flagstaff House,

the official residence and executive offices of the president (Ghana’s Whitehouse), and visit

the old home of W.E.B. DuBois, which is now a museum and center for the study of

Africanism. Before going to the GhanAfriq festival, aimed to elevate and spotlight the

exciting and blooming millennial talent from and in Africa, we will return to our

accommodation to freshen up. The day will include a joyous celebration of our culture

through live performances, arts and fashion installations, and the finest of African culture.

After your genuinely true African experience, head back to the hotel. Meal(s): Breakfast

Hotel: Location: Labadi Beach Hotel.

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Day 3

After a night filled with excitement, have a delectable breakfast at your hotel. We leave about

noon to finish our tour of Accra. Driving past the Independence Square, where Ghana holds

most of its national ceremonies, you will see the enclosed flame of African liberation, which

was lit by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961. This is where we will stop to visit the Kwame

Nkrumah Memorial Park, the final resting place of Ghana’s first president. The Memorial

Park comprises a museum with pictures, artifacts, and information on Dr. Nkrumah’s life

situated amid lovely grounds. The renowned international market place, the Accra Arts &

Crafts Centre, is just next to the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

Consider practicing your negotiating skills while shopping for exquisite real African clothing,

arts, and crafts to give as gifts to family and friends back home at Accra’s largest open

market. The Jamestown district, one of Accra’s most historic communities, where history is

present around every turn, is where the trip for the day comes to a close. The Usher Fort and

lighthouses are its most famous attractions. Enjoy a historical walking tour of Jamestown

while learning about locals’ daily routines. On this Jamestown walking tour, take in the

intriguing sights, sounds, and flavors while tasting some specially chosen street cuisine.

You will have the opportunity to sample and taste a few freshly made local meals such as the

popular Ga Kenkey made from corn dough, fish, red pepper or green sauce, Banku, rice,

eggs, Waakye (made from rice and beans). Enjoy a local buffet with chilled drinks with some

locals.

Afternoon – Lunch. Hotel. Labadi Beach Hotel

2:00pm – 4:00pm – Festivalion of Art, Location: Labadi beach

Meal(s): Dinner. Hotel: Ridge Royal Hotel – Final show: 6:00pm – till day break

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The show will be a combination of Ghanaian and African fused music with DJs on rotation to

excite audience with back-to-back hits from genres like Hiplife, Highlife, Afrobeats and the

like. The night will be a display of art works, displaying African history and culture through

painting and visual arts, music, and technology, while showcasing the diverse culture and

history of the Afro community on a giant screen.

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planning in Ghana, 1957–2017”, Tourism Planning and Development, Vol. 16 No. 2,

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Akyeampong, O.A. (2019), “Aboakyer: traditional festival in decline”, Ghana Social Science

Journal, Vol. 16 No. 1, p. 97.

Bates C. (2013). The corporate brand identity matrix. Journal of Brand Management (2013)

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Birch N. (2011). The Impact of Creative Arts on the Brand, Munich, GRIN Verlag,

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Crompton, J., and S. McKay (2020). Motives of Visitors Attending Festival Events. Annals of

Tourism Research 24:425–439.

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Philosophical Examination of Egba-Eze Ibagwa-aka Community. Accessed online:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362225454 Accessed on 19th May, 2023.

Enuka, C., “Globalization and Nigerian Development”. UNIZIK Journal of Arts and

Humanities, vol. VIII, (2019), Pp. 75 – 93.

Getz, D. (1991) Festivals, Special Events and Tourism. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

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Journal of Arts, Management and Social Sciences, Vol. 1, No. 1,(2014), Pp. 1 – 14.

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